Quick detachable battery connector



n I! I i ll! in @m Dec- 1950 v. E. CACCIOTTI 2,533,753

QUICK DETACHABLE BATTERY CONNECTOR Filed April 6, 1948 ATTORNEY Patented Dec. 12, 1950 TED 's OFFICE QUICK'DETACHABLE BATTERY CONNECTOR Vincent-Er .Cacciotti; Troy, NFY.

Application*Apr'il 6, 1948, S erial-No; 19378 'i Glaimsl. (Cl.=173-259) My invention relates to storage batteriesi and more particularly to a quick idetachable means for connecting'cables'to the terminals of storage batteries used in motor vehicles and otherwise.

Various 'devices of this character have 5 been heretofore proposed but-most of them,*so:' far -as I am "aware, are more or lesscomplicated and cannot be readily: applied in the storage battery of a motor vehicle" without providing theiicables with special types ofterminals. *Moreover, the connectors heretofore" pro-posed -arereadily suscept'ible to corro'sion which interferes wlthithe properfunctionin'g thereof both=asa current carrying element and'asa means' for quickly detach, ing the cables from thebattery.

"One of the objects" or my invention'- is to provide a" device of" this character of extremely simple construction and which may be applied to "any I 'storage battery in 1a motor vehicle without :changingy'or-in any way modifying; the-terminals of the cables which were connected to -the batter before my connector is installed. 'Anotherrobject :ls to provide a device 10f this tcharacter which" is of ssuch "construction "that certain vital wparts thereof Iare: entirely enclosedzvandrmay be packed with grease to prevent'rcorrosionithereof. further object is to? providea: device-of thiszcharacterinwh'ich the surfaces thereof. which would normally 1 be exposed-to corrosion are protected by a coating of corrosion resistant-material.

I accomplish-theseiobject by'means fthe; novel elements and the. combinations and-arran ements Fig. 2, together withthe other element, aiportion i of which is broken away; 7

'Fig. 5 is ase'ction of Fig.4 inl-the plane 5-e5; Eig. 6 is a fragmentary sectionuotFr'ighothin the plane 6- 6;

l Fig. 'lis anelevation viewof. the. preferred form of the one element of: my connectorudrawnotoia somewhat smaller scale than Figs. 1 and'fi;

Fig. 8 :is' a: section critic." '7' in; the. planej 8-.-8

"Fig. 9 is an elevation viewor alnm llfililmgdifl cationof mywonnecwrs fiq I 'EigiIO is a section of Fig.- 9 in: the plane ll-l0.

Referring 170117118 drawings- My connector ineach case comprises anelement,1:represented generally in all the figures'rby the *numeral l; adapted to be connected to the sterminal'of a storage" battery; and anelement'l. adapted to. be connected to a'cable terminal. :The element I, in allcases, is provided with a frust'oconicalpassage 3 therethrough adapted to fit zclosely overithe frusto conical'terminal of "the storage battery and with a clamping bolt 4 adapted tovclamp'ztheielement tightly about saidflteranimal. "The element' 1 illustrated in'Figsi lrzand 3, is also provided" with a cylindrical recess '-5 nvhiehterminatessomewhat short ofthe bottom of the element i, as shown at 6' in Fig;i3. A hole 57': intersecting the recess 5' is "drilled into the ele- *ment l' to receive a ball latch 8 which projects slightly into the recess: 5 and is y-ieldingly' so'sheld "by-'thehelioal spring 9.

'ff'Ihe' other element] 'of my connector .is' identical or.sr'ibstantially identical in allspecies and comprises a frusto-conical headlll havingra cylindrical'extension: l on the bottom thereofiwhich is provided with a circumferential groove 12 adaptednwhen-used-with the element Ijust der-scribed, "to' cooperate with the'hall latch *8 "in (order yieldingly to retain the extension I I -When inserted-.inthe recesszii in the element I.

o In-i igs. -2.and ll have illustrated a slight. modification ofthe'element I in respect'of the type-f-of latch which cooperates with the extensionon the element 2 when inserted in the recess t3. In order .to accommodatethe type of latch illustrated in Figs. 2 and 4, the end of the element I is bifurcated, :as. :best shown intFig. 4. The recess 13 l passesnentirely throughthebranch M of the-bi- .furcatedw portion but only partially through .the branch l 5,. as shown at 16 in Fig. 4. :The latch in this a case comprises a generally .U-shaped spring H having one end l'8- thereof driven tightlyintoi-a holelfi in thetelement l and-therother branch "20 thereof positioned between: the branches [.4 and Eoflthebifurcation andhaving a portion 2| thereof passin through therecess 1 3. Thus, when the. extension onvthe element- 2 iszthrust into therecess, the portion of the U.- shapedspring within the recess will cooperate witlrthe groove [2 in the element 2 yieldinglyto retain the element 2 connected tothe element l.

ilhe 'flleelend of the branch .21; is bentatvr'i ht angles'tooeliminate any possibilitylof thespring l'lijbeinggpulled out of the. element 1 when role! ment, 2, is: in;cooperationltherewith. L'Ifhe element Q15m connfiiitdrlshownin '7 to IO-inc usive,

is substantially identical with that shown in Figs. 4 and 6, and the same parts bear the same numbers. In Figs. 7 and 8, I have merely provided the bifurcated portion of element I with a resilient cover 22 which can be snapped into place on the element I in order completely to close the space between the branches of the bifurcation. Shoulders 23 and 24 may be provided on the element I to engage the inturned ends 25 and 26 of the cover 22, and the cover 22 may be provided with a struck-in portion 21 adapted to enter the space between the branches of the bifurcation to prevent the cover from moving vertically n the element I.

ments shown in the other figures in that it is provided with a manually operable latch 28 having an external handle 29 by which it may. be

turned from the position shown in solid outline in Figs. 9 and 10 when it is in engagement with the extension I I on the element 2 to the position shown in dotted outline at 29' so that it is disengaged from the extension II on the element 2.

The manually operable latch comprises merely a piece of fairly stiff wire bent as shown and which is positioned in a cylindrical chamber 30 in the element I. It is retained within the chamber by inturning the edge of the entrance to the chamber, as shown at 3|, which retain the end 32 within the chamber.

In operation, my connector may be readily attached to one or preferably both terminals of a storage battery. If cables are already connected to the terminals of the battery, these are removed :1.

and an element I connected to each terminal by slipping it over the terminal and tightening the clamping nut 33. The frusto-conical head of the plug-like element 2 is secured to the cable by inserting it in the opening thereof which formerly surrounded the battery terminal. The element 2 and its attached cable may be electrically connected to the terminal of the battery by merely pushing the extension H into the recess therefor in the element I where it will be yieldingly retained by means of the cooperating latch. In order to disconnect the cable from the battery it is merely necessary to pull the extension II on the plug out of the recess in the element I where the element I is eouipped with a spring latch, but where the latch is a manual y o erable one, as shown in Figs. 9 and 10, the latch must, of course, be first turned to free the element 2.

7 It is well known that ordinary cable connectors are vulnerable to the corrosive efiect of the battery acid or fumes therefrom and for this reason it is the usual practice to coat the connectors with grease. In the case of my connector however. I refer to form it of brass and to apply a coating of lead 34 (see Fig. 4) to all of the exposed surfaces thereof. This may be easily done by dipping the elements of the connector in a suitable flux solution and then dipping them in a. bath of molten lead or solder which will elTect a protective "tinning thereof. Furthermore, where the element I is provided with a cover such as shown at 22, the space between the branches of the bifurcated portion, which will be completely enclosed, may be packed withgrease.

While I have described my invention in its preferred embodiment, it is to be understood that the words which I have used are words of description rather than of limitation and that 4 true scope and spirit of my invention in its broader aspects.

What I claim is:

1. A quick detachable connector for a storage battery terminal comprising a metallic clamp element provided with a frusto-conical passage adapted to fit around the terminal of a storage battery and means for clamping said element tightly around said terminal, and a metallic plug element having a frusto-conical portion substantially complementary in shape to the passage in said clamp element, whereby it is adapted to be connected to a cable terminal normally connected to said battery terminal; said clamp element being provided with a recess therein and a latch having a portion projecting into said recess; and

said plug elementhaving an extension receivable in said recess provided with means adapted to cooperate with said latch for releasably locking said changes, within the purview of the appended iii extension in said recess; said extension being readily removable from said recess merely by pulling it therefrom.

2. A quick detachable connector for a storage battery terminal comprising a first metallic element having ,a frusto-conical passage therethrough adapted to fit closely over a storage battery terminal, and a clamping bolt for securing said element to said terminal; said element having a bifurcated portion, provided with a cylindrical recess extending entirely through one of the branches of said bifurcated portion but only partially through the other branch thereof; a U-shaped spring having one branch secured in said element and the other branch free and having a portion thereof disposed in said recess, and a second, metallic, plug-like element having a frusto-conical head substantially complementary to the frusto-conical passage through said first element and a cylindrical extension on the bottom of said head adapted to fit closely in said recess; said extension being provided with a groove therein adapted to cooperate with said spring for yieldingly retaining said plug in said recess when inserted therein; whereby said elements, when interfitted, can be readily separated by merely pulling them apart.

3. A quick detachable connector for a storage battery terminal comprising a first metallic element' having a frusto-conical passage therethrough-adapted to fit closely over a storage battery terminal. and a clamping bolt for securing said element to said terminal; said element being also provided with a cylindr cal recess having its axis disposed substantially parallel to the axis of said passage, and a resilient latch proiecting into said recess and a second, plug-like, metallic element having a portion adapted to be inserted in said recess and to be frictionally engaged by said latch, and having a frusto-conical terminal thereon substantially complementary to the frusto-conical passage through said first element; whereby the terminal of a cable adapted to be'connected to said battery terminal may be connected to the terminal. on said plug-like element.

4. The structure set forth in claim 2 provided with a removable cover frictionally cooperating with first element and laterally surrounding said bifurcated portion to form a closure for the space between the branches thereof adapting sa d space to be packed with grease to prevent corrosion.

5. A quick detachable. connector for a storage battery terminal comprising a metallic clamp element provided with a frusto-conical passage adapted to .fit around the terminal of a storage battery and means for clamping said element tightly around said terminal, and a metallic plug element having a frusto-conical portion substantially complementary in shape to the passage in said clamp element, whereby it is adapted to be connected to a cable terminal normally connected to said battery terminal; said clamp element being provided with a recess therein and a manually operable latch projecting into said recess; and said plug element being provided with an extension receivable in said recess and having means adapted to cooperate with said latch for releasably locking said extension in said recess.

6. A quick detachable connector for a storage battery terminal comprising a first metallic element having a frusto-conical passage therethrough adapted to fit closely over a storage battery terminal, and a clamping bolt for securing said element to said terminal; said element having a bifurcated portion, provided with a cylindrical recess extending entirely through one of the branches of said bifurcated portion but only partially through the other branch thereof; a U-shaped spring having one branch secured in said element and the other branch free and having a portion thereof disposed in said recess, and a second metallic plug-like element having a frusto-conical head substantially complementary to the frusto-conical passage through said first element and a cylindrical extension on the bottom of said head adapted to fit closely in said recess; said extension being provided with a groove adapted to cooperate with said spring for yieldably retaining said plug in said recess when inserted therein; the exterior surface of said connector being coated with lead to prevent corrosion thereof; and a resilient cover element in removable engagement with said first element and closing the opening between the branches of said bifurcated portion to form a closed space therebetween adapted to be packed with grease.

7. A quick detachable connector for a storage battery terminal comprising a pair of metal elements having portions closely interfitted but readily separable by merely pulling them apart; said elements being provided with cooperating, latch-forming means for preventing accidental separation of said elements when interfitted; one of said elements having a fruSto-conical passage therein adapted to fit closely about a storage battery terminal, and the other of said elements having a frusto-conical portion complementary in shape to said frusto-conical passage; whereby said connector may be readily interposed between said battery terminal and a cable normally connected thereto by merely disconnecting said cable from said battery terminal and connecting it to the frusto-conical portion of said connector, and attaching said connector to said battery by inserting the terminal of said battery in said frustoconical passage.

VINCENT E. CACCIO'I'II.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 1,176,942 Bliss Mar. 28, 1916 1,507,936 Schmitt Sept. 9, 1924 1,957,131 Brown May 1, 1934 2,010,452 Douglas Aug. 6, 1935 2,177,518 Douglas Oct. 24, 1939 2,299,291 Zam Oct. 20, 1942 2,340,011 Moore Jan. 25, 1944 FOREIGN PATENTS Number Country Date 478,013 England Jan. 11, 1938 

